It is known that such laminate panels can be made of different layers. Usually, the panels are formed of boards having a wood basis, such as chipboard or fiberboard, in particular MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard) or HDF (High Density Fiberboard), upon which one or several layers, including a decorative layer, are provided at least on the top side. The decorative layer may be a printed paper layer, but in certain embodiments it may just as well be a layer of wood, in particular veneer. Such panels can also be made of other materials, for example merely synthetic material, or of a base plate on the basis of wood, such as chipboard, MDF or HDF and the like, upon which is provided, instead of a printed paper layer or veneer, another material such as cork, thin strips of wood and the like.
It is also known to couple these panels on their edges as they are laid to form a floor covering, either by means of a conventional tongue and groove joint, whereby they are possibly glued together, or by means of a glueless coupling which provides for a mutual interlocking of the panels both in the horizontal and vertical directions, for example as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,486.
The present invention relates to hard panels for floor coverings, in particular laminate panels, which provides for new embodiments according to different aspects offering respective advantages.